WO1999044860A1

WO1999044860A1 - Convertible container holding assembly

Info

Publication number: WO1999044860A1
Application number: PCT/US1999/004648
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mirko Bilandzic; John Kacsala; Dusit Sukonthapanich
Original assignee: Collins & Aikman Plastics, Inc.
Priority date: 1998-03-03
Filing date: 1999-03-02
Publication date: 1999-09-10
Also published as: JP2002505223A; EP1060093A1; EP1060093A4; WO1999044860B1; US6059244A; CA2322479A1

Abstract

A convertible container holding assembly includes a housing (28) fixedly secured to a structure such as an armrest (24) or instrument panel (12). A base (30) is movable into and out of the housing between retracted and extended positions. The base includes a support (32) and a stabilizing edge (34). The support and stabilizing edge define a portion of a cupholding area. A stabilizing arm is pivotally secured to the base and positionable in an infinite number of positions such that it is capable of positively abutting the container (42) when the container is positively abutting the stabilizing edge, regardless of the diameter of the container. A brake (46) prevents the stabilizing arm from moving to its outermost position once it is forced into engagement with the container. The stabilizing arm may be reset by forcing it to its innermost position or by retracting the base into the housing and moving the base back to its extended position.

Description

CONVERTIBLE CONTAINER HOLDING ASSEMBLY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a convertible container holding assembly. More

specifically, the invention relates to a convertible container holding assembly capable of holding

containers of varying sizes.

2. Description of the Related Art

Convertible container holding assemblies found in motor vehicles are commonly

referred to as cupholders. Demands have been placed on cupholder design to minimize the

motion of the cup being held to reduce the potential and magnitude of spills. One factor relating

to spills is the relative motion between the cup and the cupholder. One way to reduce this

relative motion is to stabilize the cup within the cupholder.

One attempt to stabilize the cup within the cupholder is disclosed in United States

Patent 5,527,008, issued to Schutter, et al., on June 18, 1996. This patent discloses a convertible

container holding assembly including a retractable base which extends between a retracted

position and an extended position. Two arm portions pivot to an outermost position when the

base is moved to the extended position. A pawl and ratchet are associated with each of the arm

portions. If the cup being held has a smaller diameter than the diameter created by the arm

portions in the outermost position and the base, the arm portions may be moved inwardly toward

the base where they are locked in position by the pawls securing against specific detents in the

ratchets. Although this cupholder acknowledges the need for positioning the arm portions with respect to the cup being held thereby, the discreet positions of the arm portions are a direct

function of the number of detents on the ratchet. Therefore, the arm portions cannot be

positioned exactly where needed to ensure a secure fit between the cupholder and the cup being

held.

Similarly, United States Patent 5,167,392, issued to Henricksen on December 1 ,

1992, discloses a convertible container holding assembly having two arms which are pivotal

about a base portion. The arms include three detents to position the arm in three different

positions depending on the size of the cup being held. Again, this patent shows an appreciation

for the need for varying the position of the arms. All cups cannot be properly held, however,

using the three arbitrary positions in which the arms may be placed due to the three detents

provided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A convertible container holding assembly is disclosed having a housing fixedly

secured to a structure. The assembly includes a base which is movable between a retracted

position within the housing and an extended position out of the housing. The base includes a

support and a stabilizing edge for supporting a container. The assembly includes a stabilizing

arm which is pivotally secured to the base and is used to stabilize the container. The stabilizing

arm is positionable in an infinite number of positions such that the stabilizing arm abuts the

container when the container abuts the support edge.

One advantage associated with the invention is the ability to hold and stabilize a

container within a motor vehicle. Another advantage associated with the invention is the ability

to hold and stabilize a container within a motor vehicle while reducing the relative motion between the holding assembly and the container. Still another advantage associated with the

invention is the ability to stabilize a container being held in a motor vehicle by positively engaging a majority of the periphery of the container regardless of the dimension thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes

better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of a passenger compartment of

a motor vehicle incorporating one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top view, partially cut away, of one embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 is a top view, partially cut away, of one embodiment of the invention in

the retracted position;

Figure 4 is a top view, partially cut away, of one embodiment of the invention

with the stabilizing arm moving toward the extended position;

Figure 5 is a top view, partially cut away, of one embodiment of the invention with the stabilizing arm moving to the extended most position and the brake moving from a

disengaging position to an engaged position;

Figure 6 is a top view, partially cut away, of one embodiment of the invention with the stabilizing arm in the extended most position;

Figure 7 is a top view, partially cut away, of one embodiment of the invention

holding a container; and Figure 8 is a top view, partially cut away, of one embodiment of the invention

with the stabilizing arm being moved to the retracted position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Figure 1 , a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle 10 is shown

partially cut away. The passenger compartment includes an instrument panel 12, steering wheel 14, driver seat 16, passenger seat 18 and a transmission console 20, including a shift lever 22,

extending between the driver seat 16 and the passenger seat 18. The transmission console 20

includes an armrest section 24. The invention, a convertible container holding assembly, is

generally indicated at 26. As shown in Figure 1 , the convertible container holding assembly 26 (hereinafter the cupholder 26) is shown in an extended position as it extends out of the armrest

section 24 of the transmission console 20 toward the instrument panel 12. As an alternative

location, the cupholder 26 is shown in phantom in the extended position as it extends out of the

instrument panel 12. It may be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the cupholder 26 may

be housed in any structure which is convenient for usage and storage in the passenger compartment, including a back seat section (not shown), if any.

Referring to Figures 2 through 8, a housing, graphically represented by line 28

in Figures 3 through 8, is secured to a structure, the armrest section 24 in the embodiment shown in Figure 1. A base 30 is movable between a retracted position within the housing 28 and an extended position substantially out of the housing 28. The extended position is shown in Figure

1. The base 30 includes a support 32 and a stabilizing edge 34 located above the support 32. In

the embodiment shown in the Figures, the support 32 is a base plate which may extend under the

entire cupholding assembly 26. The stabilizing edge 34 is a portion of a circle defined within a top plate 36 of the base 30. In the embodiment shown, there are two stabilizing edges 34 and a single support 32. It may be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the support 32 may be

fabricated from a plurality of parts. It may be further appreciated that a single stabilizing edge

34 defining a single cupholder space may also be used without adding to the invention.

A stabilizing arm 38 is pivotally secured to the base 30 with a pivot pin 40. The stabilizing arm 38 stabilizes a container 42, shown in phantom in Figure 6, by defining a

cupholding space 44. The cupholding space 44 is defined as the space between the stabilizing

arm 38 and the stabilizing edge 34 extending over the support 32. The stabilizing arm 38 is

positionable in an infinite number of positions such that the stabilizing arm 38 abuts the container 42 when the container 42 abuts the stabilizing edge 34. It may be appreciated by those skilled

in the art that soft resilient pieces may be attached to the stabilizing edge 34.

A brake is generally shown at 46 in Figures 3 through 8. The brake 46 prevents

the stabilizing arm 38 from moving to its outermost position. The stabilizing arm 38 is biased to its outermost position by a spring 48. More specifically, the brake 46 stops the stabilizing arm

38 in any one of the infinite number of positions even though the spring 48 biases the stabilizing

arm 38 to its outermost position.

The brake 46 includes a latch 50 which prevents the brake 46 from engaging the stabilizing arm 38. The latch 50 is spring biased with a second spring 52 to pivot about a pivot pin 54. The latch 50 includes a channel 56 having a recess 58 and a relief 60. The recess 58

receives a channel pin 62, discussed subsequently, and holds the channel pin 62 in place. The

relief 60 provides a space within the channel 56 for the channel pin 62 to move therein when the

brake 46 is being released. The brake 46 includes a pivot arm 64 which includes a side surface 65 and extends

between a base end 66 and a distal end 68. The base end 66 is pivotal about a pivot pin 70. A

latch arm 72 extends out from the distal end 68 of the pivot arm 64. In the embodiment shown

in the Figures, the latch arm 72 extends out from the pivot arm 64 perpendicularly thereto. The

channel pin 62 is fixedly secured to the latch arm 72. Therefore, the latch arm 72 and the pivot arm 64 move along the contours of the channel 56 when the channel pin 62 is in the channel 56.

There is no lost motion between the latch arm 72 and the pivot arm 64.

A friction pad 74 is pivotally secured to the distal end 68 of the pivot arm 64 by

a pivot pin 76. The friction pad 74 pivots freely with respect to the distal end 68. The friction

pad 74 defines an arcuate surface. Said another way, the surface 78 of the friction pad 74 is not

planar.

The stabilizing arm 38 includes a cup receiving end 80 having a radius of curvature similar to that of a cup or container 42 which may be received within the cupholding space 44 of the cupholder 26. The stabilizing arm 38 also includes a brake receiving surface 82

used for receiving the surface 78 of the friction pad 74. The brake receiving surface 82 may have

a surface treatment to enhance the coefficient of friction thereof. The brake receiving surface 82 has a contour similar to that of the surface 78. The similarities in the curvatures of the surfaces

78, 82 allow a maximum amount of contact of the surfaces 78, 82 to maximize the braking

capability of the brake 46. The arcuate curvatures of the surfaces 78,82 allow for complete

engagement therebetween regardless of the orientation of the stabilizing arm 38, thus allowing

an infinite number of positions.

The stabilizing arm 38 further includes a release arm 84 which releases the latch

50 to allow the brake 46 to engage the stabilizing arm 38. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the release arm 84 extends out from the brake receiving surface 82 tangentially thereto.

The release arm 84 engages a side surface 86 of the latch 50 pivoting the latch 50 about its pivot

pin 54.

The stabilizing arm 38 further includes a disengagement arm 87 extending out

from the brake receiving surface 82 tangentially thereto. The disengagement arm 87, when

engaging the side surface 65 of the pivot arm 64, disengages the brake 46 from the stabilizing

arm 38 by forcing the pivot arm 64 up so that the channel pin 62 engages with the latch 50 which holds the pivot arm 64 in position for the preparation of the stabilizing arm 38 to return to its extended position.

With specific reference to the sequence of Figures 3 through 8, the operation of

the cupholder 26 will now be discussed. Figure 3 shows the cupholder 26 in its retracted

position. The friction pad 74 is not engaging the brake receiving surface 82. Therefore, the stabilizing arm 38 abuts the housing 28. Upon moving the base 30 in a direction as represented

by arrow 88 in Figure 4, the stabilizing arm 38 is permitted to pivot in a counterclockwise

direction as represented by arrow 90. The stabilizing arm 38 pivots outwardly because the

stabilizing arm 38 is being moved, by moving the base 28, outside of the housing 28. The stabilizing arm 38 is allowed to pivot because the friction pad 74 still has not engaged the brake

receiving surface 82 of the stabilizing arm 38.

Turning to Figure 5, the stabilizing arm 38 has moved in the direction of arrow

90 such that the release arm 84 engages the side surface 86 of the latch 50. This engagement

forces the latch 50 to rotate in a clockwise direction as represented by arrow 92. Once the latch

50 has been rotated to the position shown in Figure 5, the channel pin 62 has moved to a position

within the channel 56 such that it may be released from the channel 56 by moving through an outlet 93. A spring 94, wrapped around the pivot pin 70 of the pivot arm 64, forces the pivot arm

64 into a clockwise rotation as represented by arrow 96. This moves the channel pin 62 out of the channel 56 as is shown in Figure 6.

By allowing the channel pin 62 to be removed from the channel 56, the friction

pad 74 is able to engage the brake receiving surface 82 of the stabilizing arm 38. The stabilizing

arm 38 will remain in that position until a force, represented by arrow 98, is applied to the

stabilizing arm 38. Once applied, the force 98 is capable of overcoming the friction generated

by the friction pad 74 and the stabilizing arm 38 may be moved to a retracted position to engage the container 42.

As may be seen in Figure 7, the stabilizing arm 38 has been moved to engage the

container 42. The stabilizing arm 38 will remain in that position even if the container 42 is

removed because the friction pad 74 continues to engage the brake receiving surface 82 of the stabilizing arm 38 preventing the movement thereof.

To disengage or reset the stabilizing arm 38, it is moved to its innermost position

allowing the channel pin 62 to enter the channel 56 and be received by the recess 58. A second way to reset the stabilizing arm 38 is discussed subsequently.

With reference to Figure 8, a force 98 being applied to the stabilizing arm 38

moves the stabilizing arm 38 into an innermost position allowing the base 30 to be retracted

inside the housing 28. By moving the stabilizing arm 38 inwardly, the release arm 84 rotates away from the latch 50. The latch 50 is then rotated in a counterclockwise direction by the

second spring 52. The disengagement arm 87 forces the pivot arm 64 to rotate in a

counterclockwise direction as is represented by arrow 100. The channel pin 62 moves up to the

latch 50 until it is again received by the channel 56 at an inlet 102 of the channel 56. Continued rotation of the stabilizing arm 38 forces the channel pin 62 into the channel 56 to be received

thereby. As the base 30 is moved back into the housing 28, the stabilizing arm 38 passes over

a protrusion 104 which forces the stabilizing arm 38 to rotate in a clockwise direction to a greater

extent forcing the channel pin 62 into the channel 56 sufficiently such that the channel pin 62 is

then received by the recess 58. Once the channel pin 62 is received by the recess 58, and the

stabilizing arm 38 passes over the protrusion 104, the friction pad 74 no longer engages the brake

receiving surface 82 of the stabilizing arm 38 allowing the stabilizing arm 38 to freely rotate to

its outer most position once the base 30 is moved to the extended position outside the housing

28 to again hold a container 42.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood

that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description

rather than of limitation.

Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the

above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be

practiced other than as specifically described.

Claims

WE CLAIM

1. A convertible holding assembly comprising:

a housing fixedly secured to a structure;

a base movable between a retracted position within said housing and an extended

position out of said housing, said base including a support for supporting a container and a

stabilizing edge for stabilizing the container; and

a stabilizing arm pivotally secured to said base for stabilizing the container against

said stabilizing edge, said stabilizing arm positionable in an infinite number of positions such that

said stabilizing arm abuts the container when the container abuts said stabilizing edge.

2. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 1 including

a brake for stopping said stabilizing arm in any one of said infinite number of positions.

3. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 2 wherein

said stabilizing arm includes a brake receiving surface having an arcuate surface.

4. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 3 wherein

said brake includes a latch to prevent said brake from engaging said stabilizing arm.

5. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 4 wherein

said brake includes a pivot arm extending between a base end pivotally secured to said base and

a distal end.

6. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 5 wherein

said brake includes a friction pad pivotally secured to said pivot arm.

7. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 6 wherein

said pivot arm includes a latch arm extending out from said distal end.

8. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 7 wherein

said latch includes a channel allowing said latch arm to move therethrough.

9. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 8 including a release arm for releasing said latch to engage said brake with said stabilizing arm.

10. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 9 wherein said release arm is fixedly secured to said stabilizing arm.

11. ΓÇ₧ A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 10 wherein

said latch arm includes a channel pin.

12. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 11 wherein

said stabilizing arm includes a disengagement arm.

13. A convertible holding assembly comprising:

a housing fixedly secured to a structure;

a base movable between a retracted position within said housing and an extended

stabilizing edge for stabilizing the container;

said stabilizing arm abuts the container when the container abuts said support edge;

a brake for stopping said stabilizing arm in any one of said infinite number of

positions, said brake including a pivot arm extending between a base end pivotally secured to

said base and a distal end and a friction pad pivotally secured to said pivot arm.

14. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 13 wherein

15. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 14 wherein

said pivot arm includes a latch arm extending out from said distal end.

16. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 15 wherein

said latch includes a channel allowing said latch arm to move therethrough.

17. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 16 wherein

said latch arm includes a channel pin.

18. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 17 wherein

said channel includes a recess to receive and hold said channel pin from passing through all of

said channel.

19. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 18 wherein

said channel further includes a relief to allow said channel pin to move out of said recess when

said latch is pivoted.

20. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 19 wherein

said latch arm extends from said pivot arm perpendicularly thereto.

21. A convertible container holding assembly as set forth in Claim 13 wherein